governments was responsible for their own defence . the colonies had gained responsible government between 1855 and 1890 , and while the colonial office in london retained control of some affairs , the governor of the each colony was required to raise their own colonial militia . to do this , they were granted the authority from the british crown to raise military and naval forces . initially these were militias in support of british regulars , but when military support for the colonies ended in 1870 , the colonies assumed their own defence responsibilities . the colonial military forces included unpaid volunteer militia , paid citizen soldiers , and a small permanent component . they were mainly infantry , cavalry and mounted infantry , and were neither
governments was responsible for their own defence. the colonies had gained responsible government between 1855 and 1890, and while the colonial office in london retained control of some affairs, the governor of the each colony was required to raise their own colonial militia. to do this, they were granted the authority from the british crown to raise military and naval forces. initially these were militias in support of british regulars, but when military support for the colonies ended in 1870, the colonies assumed their own defence responsibilities. the colonial military forces included unpaid volunteer militia, paid citizen soldiers, and a small permanent component. they were mainly infantry, cavalry and mounted infantry, and were neither